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Saturday, March 16, 2013

You Survived the Internship….Now What?

So you landed an awesome internship, worked hard to make a good impression, stressed over writing a good press release, and now it’s coming to an end. What are you suppose to do? Wave goodbye and walk out the door? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Here are four tips to end your internship as strong as you started it:

Tip 1-First and Foremost…. Remember your manners!

It is extremely important to thank the people who gave you this amazing learning opportunity. An email can be sent to everyone at a small agency or just the PR department at a large company. If someone acted as a mentor to you, a hand written note is a thoughtful way to acknowledge their guidance and support.

Tip 2-Don’t Forget your writing samples!

A well written press release is a great addition to any portfolio. Ask if it is okay to use the company printer to print your writing samples on company letterhead. Doing this helps build a portfolio that has variety and looks professional!

Tip 3- Take all the advice you can get…. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

An internship is not simply a resume builder, but also a valuable learning experience. Seek out positive and negative feedback and improve upon it. You may have a fun writing style, but your grammar may need some TLC. Let your superiors be honest with you. It is better to learn from your mistakes now than later.

Tip 4- Establish connections… networking is crucial in PR!

Ask your supervisors for permission to use their name as future references. Landing an internship can sometimes be a game of “who knows who.” Interested in healthcare PR? Maybe somebody at your current internship has a contact at a hospital that you may be able to use.

As your internship comes to close, it is important to finish as strong as you started. People will remember an intern who was both professional and polite and prepared for their next step.

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Lauren Bentley.